1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shell catchers, and more particularly to a shell catcher for semi-automatic, auto-loading shotguns which will catch only the last shell from the magazine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many shooters choose to recover empty shells after firing for reloading. When semi-automatic shotguns are fired, the spent casings are ejected through an ejection port and fall to the ground. Thus, the shooter must retrieve the casings from the ground and it is common for such casings to become contaminated or damaged. It is therefore desirable to provide means for retaining an ejected shell in the gun receiver from which it can be removed by hand.
A number of shell catchers for this purpose have been known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,087,387; 3,609,900; 3,755,946; 3,893,253; and 3,978,602 each teach devices to be attached to the receiver assembly of a gun which will catch each shell as ejected. However, such catchers are not suitable when it is desired to shoot doubles or multiple shots since each caught shell must be removed manually before the next shell can be fired.
A more desirable type of shell catcher is exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,733,728; 3,807,075; and 3,984,932 that teach shell catchers adapted to catch the second ejected shell while permitting the first fired shell to be normally ejected. These known devices however have certain disadvantages.
Some of the devices utilize wire loops which are not rugged and are subject to damage and use. Others require modification of the gun to install, and some are bulky which can introduce distraction of the shooter. Therefore, there is a need for a reliable shell catcher that is easily attached to the receiver of the gun without modification, that would affect the resale value of the gun, that does not project outward from the receiver in a manner that would affect the shooter, and which will catch only the last shell from the magazine.